‘You are going to do what?’ chuckled Derk, as they sat having breakfast. ‘Going to uni to study,’ said Willem-Jan. Exam week was coming around again, and he was hoping to finally knock a number of retakes on the head.

He knew perfectly well that he wasn’t known for having his head in the books, but being laughed at like this by Derk and Filippo irritated him. ‘If I really set my mind to it, I can pass an exam, you know!’

‘Okay, you know what?’ said Derk, ‘If you pass your retake first time round, then erm...’ he glanced round the kitchen, ‘Filippo and I will do your washing-up for a month. And if you don’t, you do ours. A little extra motivation.’ ‘Deal!’ said Willem-Jan.

A few hours later, however, he was not feeling quite so upbeat. He was sitting in the beeb where he had been staring at the same assignment for eons and as the minutes ticked by he understood less and less of it. After he had arrived at the wrong answer for the hundredth time, he threw his pen away in frustration.

‘Ouch!’ Willem-Jan looked up and recognized those freckles all too well. It was the girl whom he had got to know at the sports night. The idea of studying flew right out his head. ‘You okay?’ he asked feeling startled. She looked at him and said with a smile, ‘Yeah, sure, I’m not made of glass. But you don’t seem to be doing so well.’

Willem-Jan felt his nervousness ebbing away and even felt the urge to laugh. ‘Yes, I’ve got to pass a retake at the end of this week, and it is totally not going to happen.’ He hesitated. ‘And as well as credits, I’m afraid there is also a month’s washing-up at stake.’ She walked over to his table. ‘A bet? Then I’d like to help you.’ She sat down beside him and Willem-Jan felt himself blushing.

‘Oh, I had this only last period,’ she said, reaching for his books. He stared at her in amazement. The girl noticed his gaze. ‘I’m Michelle. Shall I help you? I got an eight for it.’ She blushed, and that made him like her even more.

Two weeks later he came waltzing into the lounge, a washing- up brush and pair of rubber gloves in hand. ‘Here you go!’ he said, pressing them triumphantly into Derk and Filippo’s hands. ‘You passed?’ asked Derk astounded. ‘Yes, got an eight! You were right, it was simply a question of a little extra motivation.’